Lauri Pulakka, Doctor of Music and the OCO’s 1st solo cellist of long standing, has been the Artistic Coordinator of the orchestra since 1 January 2009.
Ever since 1973, when he became a member of the orchestra, Lauri Pulakka has grown as a musician along with the OCO. He has complemented his long practical experience with a thorough study of music: he took his MMus degree at the Sibelius Academy in 1986, his LicMus degree in 1992 and his Dmus degree in 2003. Additionally, he has studied cello and baroque cello in Great-Britain and Paris. An acquaintance with the performance practices of old music added viola da gamba to his choice of instruments.
Due to his wide education and experience Pulakka is as familiar with the Baroque style as with Classicism and Romanticism, and as comfortable with contemporary music as with the music of the Renaissance. He is an active orchestral and chamber musician, soloist, conductor, arranger, music writer, recording producer and teacher from the elementary to the university level. His teaching subjects are cello, baroque cello and viola da gamba, chamber music, orchestral playing, history of music and history of performance practices.
Having internalized the tone and stylistic ideals of the OCO, Lauri Pulakka cherishes and develops the repertoire policy of the orchestra where new and old music, the basic repertoire, composition rarities and concerts for various target audiences sound in balanced counterpoint.
